I joined the company in 2012 as a Graduate Trainee, coming straight from completing a Business Studies degree at the University of Lincoln.

On the Graduate Development Programme I got the opportunity to move around the company undertaking projects in different departments such as, Operations, IT, HR, Field Services and Development. Throughout this process I realised the elements of a role that did and didn’t appeal to me, which led me to being an NPD Co-ordinator, managing the Waitrose and Booker fresh accounts as well as assisting with others.

Due to the NPD Manager leaving a few months later I stepped up and managed all of the customer accounts from an NPD point of view as well as trying to gain a larger share of these accounts and gain new ones, a tricky but steep learning curve. This experience has really helped as we’ve grown the team, and in May 2016 I was promoted to Senior NPD Manager. As well as focusing on growing our accounts for both the Fresh and Prepared businesses I’m also involved in longer term pipeline development and process improvement to support our overall business growth strategy.

I was brought up on a mixed farm in the borders and I studied agriculture at college. My first job was as a teacher, but I think I felt stifled working indoors. It wasn’t long before I moved in to a technical position with a vegetable-producing business, which meant that I spent a considerable amount of time out in the fields with growers. In 1990 I moved into potatoes and over the next few years I learned everything I could about this challenging crop, in the classroom as well as out in the fields.

I joined the team at the Abernethy site in 1996. Initially it was a technical manager role - a cross-over position, working closely with growers and following crops from growing in the fields and all through the factory. I was keen to utilise my extensive knowledge of potato agronomy and I worked hard to set up many of the technical controls, systems and protocols that are taken for granted today.

When Branston took over the site in 2004 my job description changed to agronomy, but that didn’t mean that I didn’t see the crops through the full packing process. I’m passionate about getting the best out of potatoes and making sure that the end consumer does too. There is a very close working relationship between agronomy, procurement, technical and production at the site. Potatoes aren’t a straightforward product. There are many natural variations and challenges to be overcome. Tri-party decisions often need to be made and I aim to champion the needs of the consumer at all times.

As senior agronomist, I liaise closely with our Scottish grower group, whose potato growing covers around 2,500 hectares. I’ve got a bit of a reputation within the industry as never being one to shy away from a problem. I’ll challenge growers and colleagues if I believe they are falling short of the high standards they can deliver and I’m always looking out for ways to drive improvement. There’s always something new to learn in this industry and I’ll always push to make sure that we’re at the top of our game to keep us ahead of the competition.

I joined Branston in 2011 as an assistant in the new and rapidly growing processing division. I was aware that it would involve a lot of hands-on work on farms liaising with growers and a lot of travel around the UK - digging samples and doing testing. It sounded right up my street!

Our farming and processing divisions evolved very quickly and I learnt a lot in a very short space of time. In 2012 the processing manager was promoted to head of farming and I moved up to managing the processing division. I was still doing lots of the hands-on work in the field, along with providing growers with advice on growing and varieties, but also looking after all aspects of processing supply and delivery of potatoes into processing factories. I worked closely with a dedicated group of around 20 growers across the UK and I was responsible for procurement, technical support and raw material delivery.

I always enjoyed the customer side of the role, so when an opportunity came up for an Account Executive for the Tesco account I jumped at the chance. I worked very closely with the National Account Manager, developing the long-term partnership, understanding their business needs and finding ways that we can help them grow the potato category. I've now taken on account management for the Prepared side of the business. It’s a very diverse role, with opportunities to interact with all business functions on all levels. I have to understand the whole process, from the field to the factory, and integrate this with a range of commercial skills to make sure that we keep our customers happy.

I started at Branston in May 2016, working part-time whilst studying for a foundation degree in Agricultural Management. I’m from a farming background, where everyone helps everyone else out and works together as a team, so I was really pleased to find a workplace that’s like that too. From being a summer temp, I moved on to providing maternity cover for one of our agronomists. Now I’m also involved in procurement and grower payments. Branston has been really flexible with me. So during term time I work three days a week, then through the holidays I work full-time.

We work very closely together in the Agronomy team to make sure that all our growers are looked after. That’s what I really like about Branston – the teamwork. Everyone always helps each other out. So no matter what anyone else is doing or how busy they are if you’ve got a problem they’ll happily help you out. From coming in, knowing next to nothing, the support I’ve had from everyone has been amazing. It makes it all so much easier. I’m involved in all aspects of our local growers’ crops – from planting, right through to when they’re packed in the factory. I really enjoy going out in the fields, especially on a lovely summer’s day! I’ve also been involved on the trading side and I get a lot of satisfaction out of seeing the whole process from end to end. 

There’s always something to learn in a business like this. Lots of my friends work in jobs that are quite unrelated to their uni courses and it’s all just about making ends meet, but for me there are lots of elements of work that I can relate to my course and vice versa. It’s a balance, and sometimes it can be a bit stressful and challenging, but overall I really love my job. I think it also helps me to add a level of professionalism to my assignments. I’m hoping to apply for the Graduate Development Programme next. Branston has given me lots of really great opportunities and I’d love to carry on working here once I finish my degree.